Kyrgyzstan
The mountains, including the Tian Shan Mountains (pictured), give Kyrgyzstan a unique
culture, partially formed from this isolation from the mountains.
Go Now!

Social Life in the United Arab Emirates

Behavior

Much like the dress, most behavioral habits and restrictions are rooted in the country's
Islamic roots. To conservative Muslims it is improper to touch a woman, even holding
your wife's hand or offering to shake a local woman's hand can be considered
inappropriate to a strict Muslim, but in the U.A.E.
you'll rarely encounter this issue, especially in most resorts. While almost
no one will take offense at hand holding, don't offer your hand to a local woman
unless she does so first.

Islamic law forbids pork products and alcohol; however the country is aware of foreign
interest in these items so they can be found with a bit of searching. Alcohol can
be purchased at any "foreigner" hotel restaurant or bar, however outside
of hotels there are no bars or pubs and alcohol cannot be bought for home consumption
unless you are a foreigner residing in the U.A.E.,
in which case you can purchase a certain amount of alcohol each month. Pork can
also be bought at certain stores by foreign residents, but it is not sold in restaurants,
not even in western restaurants, and cannot be purchased by tourists. Pork and alcohol
should not be brought into the country either.

In addition to following the dress restrictions mentioned below and following the
local dining etiquette (see our
U.A.E. Dining & Food Page), the most important behavioral restrictions
tend to be common sense. Avoid sensitive conversation topics, such as politics,
finances, religion, and business unless initiated by your local counterpart. Also
try to avoid being loud, rude, showing off wealth, or getting noticeably drunk in
public.

As a Muslim country, there are a number of religious laws which should be obeyed
by everyone in the United Arab Emirates, although
few foreigners seem to actually follow them. Nearly 75% of the country is foreign,
many of whom come from nearby countries, Europe,
North America, India, and the Far East, to whom local
religious dress and dietary restrictions mean little to nothing.

For the locals, the dress is a long and loose-fitting cloth that covers the entire
body from the neck down, including going down to the wrists and ankles. For men
this is always white and is called a dishdash, while women almost always
wear black and their dress is called an abaya. Both men and women cover
their hair; women wear a black cloth called a hijab, which is wrapped around
their neck so only their faces can be seen, while men wear a white cloth called
a keffiyeh, which is generally more loose-fitting and the bottom is often
tossed over the top to be a bit cooler.

While the locals dress one way, most foreigners dress in whatever way they want.
The local dress, or national uniform, is worn with pride by the locals and trying
to imitate this dress can actually be more offensive in the
U.A.E. than it is "correct." Although following the local dress
isn't necessary, covering up is greatly appreciated and respected by the local
population and by visitors from neighboring Muslim countries, who are numerous.
Although most foreigners who live in the U.A.E.,
and most tourists to the U.A.E., don't follow these guidelines, you should make
the effort to do so since all are simple and easy to follow.

Foreign women may cover their hair, although very few do, even Muslim women from
other countries tend to ignore this rule as they view the
U.A.E. as a liberal place where they can ignore dress restrictions. However,
even these Muslims from abroad tend to cover their legs and shoulders. Since the
locals are used to foreign tourists, they accept shorts and short sleeve shirts.